Indigenous Voices Matter
Resources and Suggested Activities
Reflective Activities
Choose one or two of the stories/videos shared in this chapter (written or video) from Indigenous students about their thoughts and experiences around inclusion in the classroom and workplace. On the Video and Case Studies page for Indigenous Voices Matter, you will find questions to help guide your personal reflection and/or for group discussion.
Resources for Decolonization
Decolonizing Educational Practices – Resources for decolonizing educational practices relevant to teaching, learning, and being in good relation
Looking to do more meaningful territorial acknowledgements? Cultivate cultural safety? Use authentic Indigenous resources? Engage in relational and place-based teaching? This website was created by Lee Beavington in collaboration with many others, to respond to the Calls to Action outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the xéʔelɬ KPU Pathway to Systemic Transformation.
SECTION 1 – HEADWATERS
This introductory section includes information on territorial acknowledgements, the χʷəχʷéy̓əm Indigenous Collection, cultural safety, Braiding Sweetgrass, First Peoples Principles of Learning, The Gathering Place, Elder Lekeyten, and three first steps to take in your decolonization journey.
SECTION 2 – RIVER
This section includes information on seven First Nations local to KPU, authentic Indigenous resources, the xéʔelɬ Pathway to Systemic Transformation, cultural safety, accountable spaces, being a good ally, Etuaptmumk (two-eyed seeing), learning on the land, and authentic assessment.
SECTION 3 – OCEAN
This section includes information on creating an action plan, relational teaching practices, anti-racism, books by Indigenous authors, professional development opportunities, and future work in decolonizing and Indigenizing higher education in Canada.
Related Resources
- San’yas Anti-Racism Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Program
- University of Alberta’s Indigenous Canada course (external link)
- xéʔelɬ KPU Pathway to Systemic Transformation
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
- Lessons from the BCcampus Pulling Together series
| Term | Reasoning | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-History | Implies the history of Indigenous Peoples began with the arrival of Europeans. In reality, each individual Indigenous culture has its own creation story that certainly pre-dates the arrival of Europeans in what is now known as Canada. | Divide a historical reference by pre- and post-contact. |
| Canada's Indigenous Peoples | Indigenous Peoples are independent sovereign nations that predate Euro-colonial states and are not “owned” by Euro-colonial states. | Indigenous Peoples in Canada, Canada's Indigenous population |
| Stakeholders | Indigenous Peoples are “rights and title holders” not “stakeholders”. Stakeholder is the blanket term used to describe an individual, group, or organization that stands to be impacted by the outcome of a project. But, the problem with blanket terms is that they tend to be used indiscriminately so there’s a potential to offend. Indigenous Peoples are “rights and title holders” not “stakeholders” so avoid this term at all costs. | Rights holders |
| Equality | Indigenous Peoples aren’t treated equally because they exist under a separate set of laws 'The Indian Act' | |
| Special Rights | Some people choose to describe as “special rights”, especially in regard to hunting and fishing rights | Indigenous Rights should never be referred to as special rights. There is no alternative phrase for Indigenous Rights. |
| Crown Lands | The Crown doesn’t own the land outright as the term suggests. British Columbia is unique in Canada in that most of the province is unceded which means Indigenous Title has neither been surrendered nor acquired by the Crown. | traditional territory or unseded territory |
| "I have a PH.D. in land use planning" | This phrase carries a sense of "authority" and many Indigenous people, due to experiences in residential schools and from living under the Indian Act, have issues with those who present themselves as authority figures. | Take a more humble approach and say “I have lots to share and lots to learn, and I look forward to working with this community.” |
| "We're here to help" | The full phrase “we’re from the government and we’re here to help” was an all too familiar refrain used by Indian agents, on behalf of the federal government, to describe laws and policies of the Indian Act designed to “help” Indigenous Peoples become something other than who they were. Offers to help were not generated by a desire to “help” - they were generated by a federal policy that was designed for cultural assimilation. | I have lots to share but I know that I also have lots to learn. |
| Your file | Don't refer to a community as a "file." To the community, this comes across as all they are is a file, they aren't actually people or a community. | Talk to them about the work that has been done and about how you're looking forward to working together to solve problems or find solutions. |
Source: 9 Terms to Avoid in Communications with Indigenous Peoples
